What Are Past, Present And Projected Atmospheric Levels Of Carbon Dioxide?
Atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) is a key point in the debate about whether global warming is happening, and whether it is happenign due to human influences. It’s generally accepted that atmospheric levels of CO2 were about 250-275 parts per million (ppm) before the Industrial Revoluations started in northern Europe (approximate year= 1700 in western Christian calendar). The UK’s own Climate Research Unit (University of East Anglia) was instrumental in reviewing climate records and noticing a slight long-term rise in temperatures, which has been put down in big part to the release of global warming gases, especially CO2. By 1959, the average atmospheric concentration of CO2 was put at about 316 ppm. In the year 2001 it had risen to about 370 ppm. They are currently (2006) approaching 380 ppm. Most modelling suggests that a concentration level of 450 ppm of CO2 is the tipping point, at which temperatures will rise enough on average, globally, to cause significant climate chang
